Norwegian Wood—and Glass and Metal

Before Norway struck oil in 1969 and became one of the world’s richest countries, it was one of Scandinavia’s poorest, with an economy largely based on fish and timber—and almost no contemporary design industry to speak of. But, oh, how things have changed. Thanks to pioneering firms like Snøhetta and Norway Says—and to a serious uptick in the number of new Nordic furniture brands supporting homegrown talent—the country’s design scene is suddenly booming. Here are some of the practitioners and suppliers of Norway’s other great natural resource.

Hunting & NarudAmy Hunting and Oscar Narud are both Norwegian, but they found each other in London, where Hunting had worked for Established & Sons, and Narud for Nigel Coates. Since opening their design studio last year, they’ve worked with clients like Sonos and the Design Museum London, and were picked up by influential London gallerist Libby Sellers, who gave them a solo show in summer 2013 featuring their striking oversize copper mirrors. (huntingandnarud.com)

Kristine Five MelvaerMelvaer studied both graphic and industrial design, and her colorful glass and stoneware vessels address these influences in their surface patterns and layering of space. As Melvaer’s practice expands, so do her horizons: Nature, textiles, films, and a recent trip to India are just some of the inspirations feeding the many projects she’s developing with European brands like Magnor Glassverk and When Objects Work. (kristinefivemelvaer.com)

Hallgeir HomstvedtAt one point, Homstvedt had his sights set on designing cars and sporting goods. But a stint with the furniture and interiors studio Norway Says—not to mention a big break when his cheerful Topp lamp was produced by Established & Sons in 2011—propelled him into the realm of decorative objects. (hallgeirhomstvedt.com)